Sausage & White Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots peeled
• 2 medium celery stalks 
• 1 quart chicken broth (carton or can)
• 47.4 ounce cannellini beans white undrained canned
• 2 ounces prosciutto ham minced thinly sliced
• 1.5 pounds sausage sweet italian hot
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 medium onions 
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large, deep saute pan or soup kettle over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add sausages; cook, turning once or twice, until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. (Sausage will not be fully cooked at this point.)
2. Remove from pan. When cool enough to handle, cut into slices 1/4-inch thick.
3. Add prosciutto, onions, carrots, celery and thyme to the empty skillet; cook, stirring often, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mash one can of beans with a fork into a chunky puree.
4. Add broth, whole and mashed beans, and sausage; cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, partially covered, to blend flavors, 20 minutes.
5. Let rest 10 minutes; serve.